| Abstract [eng] |
The purpose of the study is to discuss the existing theories and researches on the issues of romantic love and to explore the images of cultural models of romantic love among young people in Lithuanian context. In order to achieve this goal, the study aimed to: (1) discuss theories, which postulate the universality of romantic love; (2) analyze theories, which maintain historical and cultural value of romantic love; (3) discuss and give empirical ground to the theories, which examine sociological aspects of romantic love; (4) discuss the premises of the cultural patterns of romantic love; (5) combining different methods, to discuss what cultural images of romantic love dominate among young people in Lithuanian context. Research methods: the analysis of the academic literature and secondary data, the analysis of the quantitative and qualitative research data. The study analyses the existing theories of romantic love, in order to understand the polysemy of this concept. From an evolutionary perspective romantic love is part of more global mating and caretaking strategies. Feminism considers romantic love to be a repressive discourse, which imprisons women in traditional gender roles. In this study romantic love will be analyzed as a cultural model, according to the theory of cultural model offered by Prof. Victor de Munck. Theoretical analysis of social interpersonal relationships, exploring intimacy tendencies, serves as a context in which cultural models of romantic love provide new implications for action strategies. "We love, so we are getting married" can be rephrased to "We love, that is why we are not getting married". Empirical findings trace such a shift in young people conversations. |
